A case of glucagonoma with high uptake on F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positronemission tomography

Glucagonomas are relatively rare, and can be difficult to differentiate fro m other pancreatic tumors. A 62-year-old woman who had suffered from diabet es mellitus was hospitalized for further evaluation of a space-occupying le sion in the head of the pancreas and tumors in the liver. F-18 fluorodeoxyg lucose positron emission tomography revealed accumulation of isotope corres ponding to a tumor of the pancreas with a standardized uptake value of 4.3, and tumors in the liver with standardized uptake values of 2.4 and 2.8. Th e serum glucagon level was high (1,170 pg/ml) and the secretin tolerance te st was negative. She was diagnosed with glucagonoma with a high serum gluca gon level and clinical findings. It is suggested that glucagonoma may be on e of the rumors which show high uptake of F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose.